By Agnes Kim Atwooki, Chairperson NOTU Women Committee.
Education is essential in promoting science and Technology among men and women, in innovation and social economic development. Women still constitute minimal numbers in Science and Technology, yet it is where major tools of their empowerment are entrenched. Women compared to their male counterparts have been traditionally disadvantaged in taking up Science disciplines and Technology. They have been underrated and misconceptions that only men can excel in the mentioned disciplines have also persisted. This has to a great extent granted women nominal opportunity to determine their careers and subsequently placed them low paying and repetitive Art disciplines.
Women position in education is still wanting and many girls drop out of school, are married off and get early pregnancies before attaining secondary education. Studies had indicated that female education especially in the secondary level, plays a key role in lowering fertility by delaying marriage and onset of child bearing. Better educated women are also more likely to use contraceptives and other health care services to prevent early pregnancies. Years of schooling to men and women, the quality of education, the choice of career like science and technology and the relevance of curriculum are key in promoting innovation without gender biasness.
Parents’ preference to educate a boy child and giving them more time to concentrate on their studies, have disadvantaged the girl child in rating their potential and in taking up science disciplines, technology and consequently innovation. More so, gender as a social determinant influences norms of the roles of women including their personal traits. A significant number of women have ended up overrepresented in part time jobs and others concentrated in secretarial work, teaching, tailoring, catering, nursing and jobs related to household chores. Some young women have been trafficked and others are involved in prostitution. Many women are voiceless and have not been able to execute decision on matters of importance. Their low education dictates the nature of the low paying jobs they take on and insecure employment. Women have bulk of responsibility of raising children and meeting household obligation. They are marginalized, oppressed, lack freedom of choice in and action to shape their lives. Women participation across multiple sectors in society is limited and their economic status is wanting. This affects to balance the scale of gender equality in taking up science based to favourably compete with their male counterparts in innovation.
Despite all that some women have broken the glass cylinder and excelled in science disciplines. These are but not limited to; Josephine Nambooze the first woman Doctor, Engineer Winnie Byanyima and Engineer Irene Muloni. There are a number of other women Scientists, Doctors, Surgeons, and Technicians. Some women have been outstanding in being innovative like Sylvia owori Chairperson –ZIPA Modelling Agency. Women have studies statistics and have become banks in Uganda and Kenya. It is unfortunate that some of these women’s nature of jobs and economy situation do not favour innovation It is unfortunate that some are placed in the nature of work that do not give the room for innovation.
In the recent Makerere Univeristy Graduation, however, Dr. Elizabeth Ayebare graduated with PHD in Health Science. She studied Birth Asphyxia in Northern Uganda with a focus on the associated factor, practice during labour and child birth and practice during labour and child birth and productive numerical artery lactate. This was an outstanding innovation and will hopefully reduce on the complications women face at birth and maternal morbidity and mortality.
There is need to strategize increase the number of women in science and Technology
• Some cultures that demean the intelligence of the girl child to take up science disciplines should be unlearnt and discouraged.
• Government should revisit the School Curriculum right of primary to motivate girls and boys to take on science subjects.
• utilizing measures of research studies Increase the use of enabling technology by increasing the proportion of women and girls to have access to income
• Lack of device means lack of voice and participation. In this dot com era, there is great need to provide accessible computer sites and proved Local policies for affordable internet in order to promote innovation.
• Remove unbiasedness in selection of choices and ensure measures of girls retainance in schools
• Promote women in information Communication Technology to fully achieve their empowerment in education , research and innovation.
• There is need to ensure job satisfaction and reduce gender wage gap.
